Battery-zinc.



. lATENTED MAR. 13, 1906. J. BREWER.

. BATTERY 211m. APPLIGATIQN FILED AUG. 24, 1906.

No. 814,825. PATENTED MAIL-l3, 1906.

H. J. BREWER.

BATTERY ZINC.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2' To all whom it may concern.-

7 Battery Zines,

' FHIORATIOV J. BREWER,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BATTERY-ZINC.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented March 13, 1906.

Application filed August 4., 1905. Serial No. 275,518.

Be it known thatI, HORATIO J. BREWER, a citizen ofv the United States, residing in the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, county and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in of which the following is a specification.

My improvements relate to the elongated cylindrical zinc rods used as electrodes inelec trogalvanic batteries, such as the Leclanch, and is designed to afford more convenient. means for effecting the attachment of circuit or terminal wires. These batteries have the several parts assembled with the zinc-rod electrode in position, its upper end projecting through the top of the cover. In practice it. is desirable, and frequently absolutely necessary, to secure the circuit-wire to the zinc electrode without removing the latter from the battery, as where the available space is limited, Where the terminal wire is short, &c.

f the views being taken at right angles to each other. Fig.3 is a transverse section upon plane of line 3 3, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 ,'the same view, including a binding-screw. Figs. 4 and 60 5 are elevations of'the u per portions of a zinc electrode, showing dlflerent methods of securing the terminal wire thereto. Fig. 6 isa transverse section of the electrode shown in Fig. 4, taken through the screw-hole. Fig. 7 65 is a transverse section of the electrode shown in Fig. 5, taken through the screw-hole. Fig.

8 is an elevation of the u per end of the electrode,'showing a modifi cation in construction. .Fig. 9 is an upper end View of the 70 same. Figs. 10 and Ham elevations illus trating the diflere'nt methods of securing theterminal wire to the electrode. Figs. 12 and 13 are elevations taken at right angles to each other, showing a modification in the 7 5' formation of the upper end of an electrode. Fig. 14 is an end v1ew of such modification.

Heretofore the upper or outer end of the cylindrical zinc rod has been reduced in diameter and formed with .an axial male screw, and a binding-nut engaging therewith has been used to secure the terminal wire to the electrode. Owing to the cylindrical sha e of the zinc rod, however, the tightening of the nut has'been an awkward and tedious operation because of the difliculty involved in holdin the rod against rotation upon its lon itudina axis, since said axis and the axis of the nut coincide, and hence power applied to hold the rod against rotation has to be in excess of that applied to screw the nut home. Otherwise the rod will be rotated With the nut.

' My invention consists,primarily, in forming a cylindrical zinc-rod electrode with an exterior flat portion to form a contact-surface for the terminal wire and in binding the said terminal wire to said external fiat contact-surface by means of a screw applied either directly or indirectly thereto at right angles to the'longitudinal axis of the cylindrical zinc rod, whereby the power applied to tighten the terminal wire against the said external flat contact-surfaceis exerted laterally with relation to the rodand in such manner as to prevent its rotation.

The invention also includes incidentally constructionherein- In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are elevations of the upper ortions of Fi s. 15, 16, and 17 are elevations illustrating dierent methods of securing the terminal wire to this form of electrode. Fig. 18 is an elevation showing still another modification in the formation of the upper end of the electrode. Fig. 19 is an end view of-the same. Figs. 20 and 21 are elevations showing dii'ferent modes of securing the terminal wire to this modified form of electrode. Figs. 22

- and 23 are elevations showing still another modification of the upper end of the electrode. Fig. 24-. is an end .view'of the same. Fi s. 25, 26, and 27 are elevations showin 0 di erent methods of securin the termina wire to this special form of e ectrode. Fig. 28 is an elevation showing a preferred formation of the upper end of the electrode. Fig. 29 isan end view. Figs. 30 and 31 are eleva- 5 tions showing 'diiferent methods of securing the terminal wire to this preferred form of electrode. Fig. 32 is an elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 31, illustrating the engagement of the nut with the retaining-shoul 10o ders.

In the drawings, A- represents the upper ortion of an electrode, formed of a cylinrical rod of zinc, substantially such asheretofore used excepting as'to the shape of its IO 5 upperextremity. v- The distinguishing feature of my improved construction of cylindrical zinc electrode A consists in forming it at or near its upper extremity with one or more flat lateral bearing- I I0 the simpler form of my improve electrode,

surfaces a for contact with a terminal wire .w and with a screw-hole a, extendlng transversely through said contact-surface a and into or through the rod at this point for thc accommodation of a binding-screws,wl1ihe latter is preferably, although not necessarily, made in the form of a thumb-screw, as shown in the drawings, to facilitate manipulation. Each lateral contact-surface a is made to extend in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod, or substantially so, and may be formed in various ways without departing from the spirit and intent of my invention in this respect, which consists, broadly, in the formation of the otherwise cylindrical zinc electrode with an external lateral flat contact-surface a, (one or more,) penetrated by a screw-hole a in conjunction with the use of a binding-screw s, for securing a terminal wire w against said contact-surface a. Hence obviously the methodof forming the flat lateral external contact-surface a is of secondary importance, provided sufficient superficial area is afforded for binding the terminal wire to securely against and in close contact with said contact-surface a. Thus if the electrode A is formed in the usual way of a section of cylindrical zinc rod, wire-drawn, the end of the rod which is to constitute the upper extremity of the electrode may be cut away on one side or otherwise formed to constitute a flat longitudinal surface a and a transverse shoulder (1 as shown in the first seven figures of the drawings, or a portion of the material at the end may be cut away or otherwise removed upon opposite sides of the axis of the rod, as shown in Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive, if desired, in which case the terminal wire may be secured to either side of the rod.

I prefer, however, where a wire drawn zinc rod is used to form the external contact surface or surfaces 0 by flattening the rod on one or more sides, as shown in the remaining figures of the drawings, pressure being applied, in any manner that may be found most expedient, to cause a spreading or flow of the metal laterally upon opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the rod, so as to cre ate not only one or more flat longitudinal contact-surfaces a, but also an increase in width of the rod, so as to constitute lugs or shoulders a for engagement with the upper surface of the battery cover C, as indicated in Figs. 13 and 23. I also prefer to thus flatten the rod a little below the upper end thereof, as shown in Figs. 22 to 31, inclusive, so as to leave a cylindrical portion a at its upper extremity above the contact-surface a. This involves the formation of a secondary or auxiliary shoulder a and also obviates all danger of splitting the end of the rod during the flattening or upsetting operation. It is obvious that the zinc rod may be cast with one or more contact-surfaces a and one or more shoulders a thereon, so that I do not limit myself to the use of a wire-drawn'lzinc rod. The latter, however, is more desirable,

and when flattened or upset, as hereinhefore stated, may be punched to form the screwhole a.

The transverse screw-hole a need not necessarily extend entirely through the rod. It mayconsist simply of a fem ale screw-thread tapped through the contact-surface, as shown in Fig. 3, to engage with a suitable short male screw, as shown in Fig. 3. Preferably, however, the screw-hole a is made to extend through the rod, as in all the other figures of the drawings from 4 to 32, inclusive. When it is designed to utilize the rod itself as the nut for direct engagement with the binding-screw 8, said hole 0/ is threaded, as shown in Figs. 3 and 3, above mentioned, or as in Fig. 6, which shows a female screw-thread extending entirely through the rod, as is obviously the case where the terminal wire is secured in the manner shown in Figs. 4, 10, 15, 16, 20, 25, and 26 of the drawings. It is obvious that an equivalent method is to use a separate threaded nut n, as in Figs. 5, 11, 17, 21, 27, 30, 31, and 32, the result being the same in either case in that the terminal wire w may be forcibly and positively secured to the external lateral contact-surface a by means of the binding-screw 8. Where the nut n is used, the shoulders a hold the nut against rotation while the screw is being tightened, and thereby perform an important function in the operation of securing the terminal wire to in position. It is to be noted. that the power or strain applied in this last-mentioned operation is exerted at right angles to thelongitudinal axis of the rod and in such manner as to render rotation on such longitudinal axis impossible, so that the terminal .wire may be conveniently secured to the electrode without removing the latter in whole or even in part from the battery. Washers w may be interposed between the wire w and the binding-screw s, or the latter may be formed with an annular shoulder s for direct contact with said terminal wire w, as may be found most expedient with like result. It is also obvious that the terminal wirewmay be bound between the contact-surface a and the inner surface of the nut n with like result.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An electrode for electrogalvanic batteries consisting of a cylindrical rod of zinc formed with an external flat surface for contact with a terminal wire, said contact-surface extending longitudinally with relation to the axis of the rod, the rod beim also formed with a transverse hole extending through said contact-surface, and with a transverse shoulder adapted to engage and support a flat side of a screw-nut, and a binding-screw engaging said transverse hole and arranged to secure a terminal wire against said contact-surface, for the purpose described.

2. An electrode for electrogalvanic bat- ITO also formed with a transverse teries oonsisting'of acylindrical rod of zinc formed with a fiat portion affordinga surface for contact with a terminal wire, said cont act-surface extending longitudinally with relation to the axis of the' rod, the rod being hole extending through said contact-surface and, with a transverse shoulder adapted to engageand support a flat side of a screw-nut, a bindingscrew.

engaging said transverse hole and arranged to secure a terminal wire against. said contact-surface, and a nut engaging saidbindingscrew, said nut being formed with a flat si 7 for en agement with said lateral shoulder on the cy lndrical zinc, forthe purpose described.

3; An electrode for electrogalvanic batteries consisting of a cylindrical rod of zinc formed with-an external flat portion between a two cylindrical portions of the rod, said flat portion affording'a surface for contact with a terminal wire, said contact-surface extending longitudinally with relation to the axis of the rod, the rod being also formed with a transverse hole extending through said contactsurface, and with a transverse shoulder adapted to engage and support a screw-nut, and a binding-screw engaging said transverse hole and arranged to secure a terminal wire against said contact-surface, for the purpose de-- scribed.

4. An electrode for electrogalvanic batteries consisting of a cylindrical rod of zinc formed with an external flat portion affording a surface for contact with a terminal wire, said contact-surface extending longitudinally with relation to the axis of the rod, said flat portion forming'lateral projections upon the rod for the support ofthe rod upon the bat-.

tery-cover, the rod being also formed with a transverse hole extending through said contact-surface, and a binding-screw engaging said transverse hole and arranged to secure a terminal wire a ainst, said contact-surface, for the purpose escribed,

5. An electrode forelectrogalvanicbatteries consisting of a cylindrical rod of zinc formed with an external flat portion between two cylindrical portions of the rod, saidfiat portion affording, a surface for contact with a terminal wire, said contact-surface extending longitudinally with relation to the axis. of the rod, said flat portion alsohaving lateral projections-upon the rodfor the support of the rod upon the battery-cover, the rod being also formed with-a transverse hole extending through said contact-surface, and a bindingscrew engaging 'said transverse hole and arranged to secure a terminal wire against said contact-surface for the purpose described.

6. An electrode for electrogalvanic batteries consisting of asingle rod of .zinc, formed with an external flat portion affording a surface for contact with a terminal wire, said contact-surface extending longitudinally with relation to the axis of the rod, said flat portion als'o'having lateral projections upon the rod for the support of the rod upon the battery-cover, the rod being also formed with a transverse hole extending through said contact-surface and with a transverse shoulder for'engagement with a screw-nut, and a binding-screw passing. through said transverse hole and engaging a nut upon the other side of the rod, together with said nut, the said binding-screw and said nut being arranged to secure a terminal wire against the contactsurface for the purpose described.

7. A11 electrode for electrogalvanic batteries consisting of a single rod of zinc formed with an external flat portion between two cylindrical portions thereof affording a surface for contact with a terminal wire, said 1 contact-surface extending longitudinally with relation to the axis of the rod, said flat portionalso having lateral projections upon the GEO. WM. MIATT, D W. GARDNER. 

